“Hey.”
“You’ll get it back later.”
It’s nearly midnight when I finally regain my phone privileges. When I think about how early I have to get up in the morning, and the fact that we didn’t even eat dinner or catch up, all I can do is laugh.
“Thanks for the catch-up, but maybe next time we can do this without Channing Tatum.”
“Said no one ever.” Her expression softens as she winces. “Okay, so maybe I got a little carried away. We didn’t even have dinner.”
“Oh, I know.” I smile at her and shake my head. “It’s fine, really. I’ll have some toast or something at home.”
“So, how are things going?” She frowns at me. “Have you spoken to him yet?”
“Assuming you mean Luke and not Channing, no.” I lean against the door and frown at her. “I know that I need to, but I just can’t seem to find the right time to bring it up. That, and it feels way too early to be having that kind of conversation in the first place.”
“It’s never too early,” Becca argues. “I’m just looking out for you. This is the kind of conversation you need to have with someone before you start falling for them.”
“You think I’m falling for him?” I laugh.
“Yes. And you need to tell him for his sake as much as your own,” she adds. “Think about how hard it will be for you to start this conversation, and then imagine how hard it will be for him to hear it.”
I hadn’t thought about it like that. I smile at Becca and give her a hug.
“I’ll tell him. Soon. I promise.”
Because she’s right. This conversation needs to happen, and it needs to happen soon.
Chapter Nine
Luke
I’m vaguely aware of Laura as she leans over and kisses me roughly on the mouth. When her thigh grazes my cock, I stiffen in a matter of seconds. I smile because waking up next to her never gets old. I chuckle and run my hands up over her curves, disappointed when I see she’s already dressed for work.
“What time is it?” I ask, yawning.
“It’s almost six. Sorry I woke you. I just couldn’t resist kissing you, the way you were lying there, looking all sexy like that.”
“The only thing you need to be sorry for is leaving me to attend to this for myself.” I grin and glance down at the tent covering my cock. “Well, that, and that you have to start work so early.”
“I bet you’re sorry.” She narrows her eyes at me and then stands up, shrugging on her jacket. “Don’t forget dinner tonight at Matt’s place—with Mom.”
“Looking forward to it.” I grin. My eyes widen.
Wait, what?
I stare at her, open-mouthed. She frowns back at me, looking confused by my reaction.
“Your mom?”
“Yes. I told you that.” She almost sounds defensive.
“No, you said Matt and Annie,” I correct. “There was never any mention of your mom being there. Ever. Trust me. I’d have remembered that.”
She frowns at me and crosses her arms over her chest.
“If I didn’t tell you, then I’m sorry. It wasn’t intentional.” She pauses. “It’s not really that big a deal, is it?”
Not a big deal? Jesus, is she kidding me?
I take a deep breath and force a smile.
“It’s fine. I’ll meet you there, okay? I’m not sure how late I’ll finish, but I’ll get there as soon as I can.”
She frowns at me for a moment before leaning over for another kiss, her lips lingering against mine.
“Okay.” She turns around and walks out.
I lie back, my heart pumping in my chest. I’m sure as fuck wide-awake now, and I definitely won’t be going back to sleep anytime soon after that bombshell. I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, because it obviously wasn’t one to her, but shit… meeting Mom?
Why do I feel like we’ve skipped a dozen steps somewhere in between getting together and this? Maybe it’s just me, and I’m making this out to be worse than it is. It’s probably not helping that my own relationship with my mom is so bad. I wouldn’t even think about introducing a girl to my mother until maybe my wedding day, though there was a solid chance that even if I did end up inviting her, she wouldn’t come.
I guess it’s not that crazy that I’m meeting her mother so early in the relationship, considering she’s so close to her mom and Matt.
For her, this is probably nothing more than a Friday night dinner. Her mom has probably met all of her boyfriends. I frown, hating the thought of her with anyone other than me.
Having nothing else to do, I throw back the covers and get out of bed, walking naked across the hallway to the bathroom. I have a long shower, since I have time to fill in, enjoying the feeling of the scalding hot water as it nearly penetrates into my back.
Aside from me freaking out about meeting her mother, things with Laura are really great. Actually, great isn’t the right word. They’re fucking fantastic. But it’s not just Laura—everything is going well. I love my job and the relationship I’m forming with Lewin and that feeling of being overwhelmed and completely out of my depth is slowly beginning to fade.
Being forced to live and work together could have made things really awkward for Laura and me, but it hasn’t. I’ve always lived alone, but it’s a nice change not having to come home to an empty apartment. And if anything, living together has strengthened our relationship. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I was a little nervous about how our dynamic was going to change next week when I moved out.
What if this is only going so well because we’ve been forced into each other’s pockets?
#
“Fancy running into you here.”
I glance over and see Laura sitting in the corner of the staffroom. I smirk at her and glance around, making sure we’re alone before I walk over there to kiss her. There’s nothing to say we can’t fraternize at work, but I’m pretty sure it’s looked down upon.
I’ve just finished my shift, and I’m pretty sure she finished a couple of hours ago.
“Checking up on me, making sure I’m not inventing overtime?”
I’m mostly joking, but her eyes narrow as she picks up on the small part of me that isn’t. The thought had crossed my mind, and if she wasn’t standing in front of me right now, it might still be crossing my mind
“No.” She holds up some papers. “I thought it would be easier to get this done here.”
“What’s that?” I lean closer with interest.
“My application for a research position Marina is looking to fill with a third year.”
“Really? Nice.” I’m genuinely impressed. That kind of thing always looks good on a résumé. “Mind if I read?”
I don’t expect her to say no, so I’m kind of surprised when she moves it out of my reach. Her cheeks flush pink as she avoids eye contact.
“Sorry. I’d rather let you read it when I know for sure if I’ve got it or not. It’s one of those long winded, why am I so much better than everyone else, essay questions.”
I shrug, pretending it doesn’t bother me. I walk back over to my locker and get changed, then we walk out to my car. “Take my car? I can drive you tomorrow.”
“Sure.”
She glances at me as we walk through the parking lot.
“I’m sorry if I sprung this dinner with Mom on you. I didn’t even think that meeting her might freak you out. Now I’ve gone and made things all awkward.”
“You haven’t,” I assure her. I take her hands and wrap them around my waist, tilting her face up so I can kiss her. “And I’m looking forward to meeting your mom. If she’s anything like you and Matt, I’m sure I’ll love her…”
“But?” she presses.
I sigh because I want to be honest with her about how I’m feeling, but I also have a habit of things coming out wrong when I’m nervous.
“I like you a lot, and I know we’ve only been seeing each other for a couple of weeks…”
T
he way she’s staring at me, I know it’s the wrong time to pause, but I need to think about how I phrase this. How do I explain myself without coming across as an asshole?
“From my perspective, based on the relationship I have with my mother, you’ll be lucky to meet her on our wedding day,” I finally say. “So, meeting your mom is kind of scaring the fuck out of me.”
She laughs as we get into the car.
“Wedding day, huh? Now who’s rushing things?” she teases.
“I just meant if you’re lucky enough to be the woman walking up that aisle toward me, that’s when you’d meet my mother.” I glance at her, getting serious. “Of course, I want marriage and kids. I want it all, but I don’t want to rush into anything, either. Does that make sense?”
She smiles. “Of course, it does.”
The whole drive over to Matt’s, she barely says a word. I steal a look in her direction as we pull up outside their house, watching her as she stares out the window, lost in her own thoughts. I’m sure I’ve said something to offend her, but the problem is, I can’t figure out what. Surely, it’s not the fact that I’m not ready for kids and marriage yet? She can’t be thinking about that kind of thing already, can she?
The moment we walk inside, I relax. Laura walks over and hugs her mom. I’m relieved Laura didn’t make a big deal out of my anxieties. She doesn’t even mention how nervous I was driving over here. Annie’s parents are there too, so I don’t feel like all the attention is on me anyway—mainly because they’re really loud. But even if they weren’t here, I doubt I’d feel any pressure because Laura and Matt’s mom is really laid-back.
“And this is Luke,” she says, smiling at me. She places her hand in mine and gives it a squeeze
“Lovely to meet you, Mrs. Black,” I say, putting my hand out. She shakes her head and motions for me to step closer, throwing her arms around me instead.
“And call me Kelly,” she says. “Mrs. Black makes me sound too old.” She shakes her head. “I can’t believe I’m finally meeting you. I’ve been hearing good things about you from Laura and not so good things about you from my son. I wasn’t sure who to believe.”
“Hey,” Matt protests, poking his head out from around the kitchen and glares at Kelly. “What have I said about him?” He nods at me. “You wanna give me a hand in here?”
“Sure.”
I walk into the kitchen and rub my hands together and then look at Matt expectantly.
“I don’t really need help, I just thought you might want to escape the wrath of my mother,” he says. “My in-laws are staying here. Trust me, I know the hell you’re going through.”
I laugh. “Your mom is great,” I say. “If you want pain, go visit my mom.”
Matt shudders. “God, no. I still have nightmares about that night she accosted you in our dorm room.”
I smile, a twinge of sadness hitting me. That night was the last time I saw her before my father died. I lean against the counter and watch Matt slice carrots. Would things be any different now? It had been nine years since I saw her last. If I turned up on her doorstep, would she send me away?
“I’m glad things with you and Laura are going well,” Matt says out of nowhere.
“Me too,” I say.
“Are you hiding him in here so I don’t ask him too many questions?”
I look over and see Kelly standing there. I laugh as Matt rolls his eyes. She raises her eyebrows at me.
“Or are you avoiding me so you don’t have to answer them?” she asks, narrowing her eyes.
“Me? No way. I’m an open book,” I say with a chuckle.
I take the beer Matt hands me and follow Kelly back out into the living room. Everyone is now sitting at the table, so I sit down next to Laura, while her mom sits on my other side.
“So, tell me about yourself, Luke. You’re a doctor too, I hear?” Kelly asks.
I nod. “I’m doing my surgical fellowship in cardiac.”
“Impressive,” she says, nodding. “And you went to college with Matt? Why is this the first time I’m meeting you?” she asks suspiciously.
“I was on a scholarship, which meant I had to work my ass off while I studied. It was hard, so vacations weren’t something I had very many of,” I admit.
“Your parents didn’t help out?” she asks.
“My parents were not very… supportive of my career choice,” I say.
I smile at her confused expression. She was no doubt wondering how any parent could not be happy with their child becoming a doctor.
“I come from generations of lawyers.”
“Ah,” she says. “Well then, you’ve done exceptionally well for yourself, especially on your own.” She nods at Laura. “Keep a hold on this one.”
Laura smiles at me. “I didn’t realize you were on a scholarship.”
“Yep. A lot of hard work,” I say with a grin. “But it was worth it.”
Throughout the rest of the evening, I keep catching Laura sneaking looks at me, so I reach under the table and run my hand down over her thigh. She jumps so high that she slams her knee into the table, which gets everyone’s attention.
“Sorry,” she mumbles, her cheeks red. I stifle a laugh, which earns me a glare. “We had better get going,” she adds, placing her napkin down in front of her. “We’ve both got early starts tomorrow…”
Matt nods. “Thanks again for coming, guys.”
We say our goodbyes, and I promise to catch up with Kelly again soon, then we walk outside. I reach for her hand as we walk down the driveway. She lets me take it, but the tension in her body is obvious.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” She eases her hand back and rubs her forehead. “I’ve had a really bad headache for most of the day and it’s gotten worse since we left. I just don’t want to risk getting Annie sick if I’m coming down with something.”
“Okay.” I’m not sure whether I believe her or not, but I’m not about to call her out on it. “Your mom is great.”
“She is.” She smiles at that. “I never realized how lucky I am to have her. I can’t imagine not having a relationship with her. Do you miss speaking to your mom?”
“You can’t mourn something you never really had in the first place,” I finally say.
She glances at me. “When you told me you didn’t get on with your parents, it didn’t really sink in until tonight how much you did on your own. Putting yourself through college, getting where you are today, even dealing with your father’s death.” She smiles at me. “I’m not your mother, but for what it’s worth, I’m proud of you.”
“And that means more than anything to me,” I say softly.
We drive home in silence, with Laura resting her head against the window and staring out for most of the way. When I pull up outside her apartment, her eyes are closed, but I’m not convinced she’s asleep. I can’t figure out if I’ve said something wrong, or if she really is just feeling unwell. I nudge her leg. She stirs and smiles at me, her eyes half closed.
Maybe she was asleep.
Once we’re inside her apartment, she smiles and takes my hand, before reaching up to peck me on the lips. I sigh and slide my fingers around her neck, my mouth finding hers. I press my lips against hers, parting them enough to slide my tongue around hers. She puts her hand over mine and gently strokes my fingers, then she pulls away, her eyes still closed from losing herself in that kiss.
“Do you mind if I sleep alone tonight?” She curls her fingers around mine. “I’m not a very good patient when I’m sick.”
“Of course. Are you sure you’re okay?” I frown at her, concerned. “Can I get you something? Tylenol?”
She shakes her head and kisses me again.
“I’m fine. Thanks though.”
She disappears down the hallway and into her room, quietly closing the door behind her. I sit down on the couch and rub my head. I’m feeling anxious, because meeting Kelly triggered feelings about my own mother that I hadn’t felt in a lon
g time.
A lot can change in nine years. People can change. The thought of reaching out to her, putting myself on the line like that, I’m not sure is something I can do. Can I forgive her for everything she did? Not letting me into my own father’s funeral. Not being there for me when I needed her most. I shake my head, because I don’t think I can. The funny thing was, even if I could forgive her, it was unlikely that she’d forgive me.
#
“Luke?”
I roll over and force my eyes open, a blurred Laura finally coming into view.
“What time is it?” I’m pretty sure I form the words.
I rub my head and struggle to sit up, then look around. I’m slumped on the couch at an odd angle, which at least explains the sore neck.
“It’s eight o’clock. I wasn’t sure what time you started, and I didn’t want you to be late…”
“Thanks, but I’m off today.” I release a yawn and rest my hands behind my head and rub it.
“Shit, I’m sorry,” she says, covering her mouth with her hands.
“Don’t be.” I look at her and shrug. “I’d rather you wake me to be sure than not and have me turn up three hours late.” I glance at her short nightgown, my cock starting to harden. “What time do you start?”
“I’ve got the day off. I’m still not feeling that great, so I called in sick.”
I reach out and grab her hand, pulling her onto my lap.
“Well in that case, since you’ve woken me up…” I let my voice trail as I push aside her hair and kiss along her neck. She giggles, the color racing back into her cheeks.
“Did you miss the part where I said I was feeling sick?”
“You don’t look too sick to me.” I creep my hand up under her nightgown and stroke between her legs. Her breath catches as she squirms in my arms. “And you definitely don’t feel very sick…” I smirk at her. “Although, maybe I better take a closer look. I am a doctor, after all.” She squeals as I drag her completely into my arms, resting one leg on either side of me. I grunt as my cock begs to enter her, pressing against her thigh. She tries to hide her smirk as I reach down and grip my shaft, lining it up against her wet pussy.
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